Care-providing agents for keratinic fibers influence the natural structure and properties of hair. Subsequent to such treatments, for example, the wet and dry combability of the hair, and its hold and fullness, can be optimized, or the hair can be protected from increased splitting. It has therefore been usual for some time to subject the hair to a special post-treatment. In this the hair is treated, usually in the form of a rinse, with special active agents, for example quaternary ammonium salts or special polymers. Depending on the formulation, this treatment improves the combability, hold, and fullness of the hair, increases shine, and decreases the splitting rate.
In addition, more recently so-called combination preparations have been developed in order to reduce the complexity of the usual multi-step methods, in particular in a context of direct application by users. These preparations additionally include, besides the usual components e.g. for cleaning the hair, active agents that were once reserved for hair post-treatment agents. One utilization step for the consumer is thus eliminated, and at the same time the packaging complexity is reduced because one fewer product is used.
The known active agents cannot, however, meet all requirements to a sufficient extent. A demand therefore continues to exist for active agents or active-agent combinations for cosmetic agents having good care-providing properties and good biodegradability. In surfactant- and/or electrolyte-containing formulations in particular, a demand exists for additional care-providing active agents, which can be incorporated without difficulty into known formulations and whose effect therein is not attenuated as a result of incompatibilities with other ingredients.
Silicones, and among them aminofunctional silicones, are known as care-providing agents in hair treatment agents, and corresponding products are widespread on the market. A demand continues to exist, however, for improving the effects achieved, in particular in terms of the feel, combability, softness, and volume of the hair or hairstyle, and for decreasing the utilization quantities.
It is therefore desirable to furnish silicone-containing hair treatment agents that impart to the hair treated with them even better properties than hair treatment agents having known amodimethicones. It is also desirable to be able to achieve equivalent or better effects even with appreciably reduced utilization quantities. In particular, such hair treatment agents are able to improve the feel, combability, softness, and volume of the hair or hairstyle, and to appreciably minimize the contact angle of water drops present on the treated hair, this being an indication of product performance.
Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the invention and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background of the invention.